Super Bowl LII will be held on Sunday the fifth of February 2018. The event will be hosted in Minneapolis by the US Bank stadium. After nine weeks of some of the best scintillating football ever witnessed, we have a list of the four best possible contenders after reviewing their performance to date.

1. The New England Patriots

The defending champions are the favorites to retain the title. In the eight games they have played so far, they have amassed six wins and two losses, the best in the AFC. Although they lost the opening night match against the Chiefs, their campaign seems to have gathered momentum. Their big players are back in sync and as a result, the Patriots have won four games on the trot. Tom Brady has 2541 passing yards, Mike Gillislee has 355 rushing yards and Brandon Cooks has 566 receiving yards so far this season. Here is a closer look at the season so far.

2. The Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles are definitely the surprise team of the season so far. When their campaign started no one had given them a prayer, with the bookies giving them 60-1 odds of making it to Minneapolis. They have certainly shown everyone their pedigree with eight wins and one loss, the best in the NFC. The loss came in week two away to the chiefs. After the loss, they have racked up seven wins on the trot and they don’t look like letting up. Carson Wentz has 2262 passing yards, LeGarrette Blount has 504 rushing yards and Zach Ertz has 528 receiving yards.

3. The New Orleans Saints

The Saints are the other surprise team in the league. When the season started the bookmakers gave them an 80-1 chance of making it to the super bowl. After the first two games, this seemed like an accurate assessment. But then came the win at Panthers; since then the Steelers wave racked up seven straight wins. They have the best record in the NFC South and should keep this up. Drew Brees has 2214 passing yards, Mark Ingram has 541 rushing yards and Michael Thomas has 545 receiving yards.

4. The Pittsburg Steelers

The Steelers is one of the teams that analysts at the beginning of the season thought will challenge the Patriots. They have had a solid campaign so far with seven wins and two losses, the best record in AFC North. They have won the last four games and if they keep this up, they will definitely contend for a place in the February eighth showdown. Ben Roethlisberger has 2062 passing yards, Le ‘Veon Bell has 760 rushing yards and Antonio Brown has 835 receiving yards.

Roy Halladay was one of the greatest baseball players that Blue Jays had ever had on their team. He was all about competent baseball that can best define his successful career, and that is why his demise has been met with shock and awe across the entire baseball fraternity. Halladay, who was popularly known as ‘Doc’, pitched in Toronto for an entire 11 years despite him not making it to the playoffs.

He was a humble man to the core and consistently made efforts to enrich Toronto community in many ways. However, on 7th November, 2017, Holladay’s life was cut short at the age of 40 years when his plane crashed in the Gulf of Mexico.

Early Life

Halladay was born in Denver, Colorado, but grew up in the suburbs of Arvada. His father worked with a food-processing company as a pilot while his mother was a typical homemaker. At a tender age, Halladay showed a keen interest in baseball as he trained in every position in the field. However, it was not until the age of 14 years that major baseball scouts noticed him-and this is despite having started training with iconic Bus Campbell at age 13.

Career in Toronto

In 1995, immediately after graduation from high school (Arvada West High-School) he was selected to play for the Blue Jays. Three years later-1998-he was promoted to the major league and this is where he spent most of his career. Halladay’s career in MLB spans a whopping 15 years having recorded an average of 3.38 runs in 416 games; of which, 20 were shutouts and 67 complete games.

Charity Work

In what can be termed as his philanthropic gestures, he was involved in a number of charity events across Toronto. Halladay is credited for having established “Doc’s Box” together with Brandy (his wife)-a suit rented out at Rodgers Center. This is where children from SickKids Hospitals could have time to enjoy together with their families. Furthermore, he is known to offer large donations to different charity organizations with Jay’s Care Foundation receiving $100,000 every year.

Roy Holladay’s death has been received with shock all across board; from family to fans, individual journalists to media conglomerates, and from sports industry to government institutions. This is a man who redefined the sports, stuck with his team during tough times, and left a legacy that will stand the test of time.

It is indisputable that Halladay has left an indelible mark in the history of baseball, and with his efforts he’ll be forever cherished in his fans hearts. As such, he is a Toronto icon that will be remembered for a long, long time.